Foundations September 1, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Matthew 20-22

Christians are called to pray

Read: 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

We often read stories in the Bible and are impressed by the amazing works of power that we see in the lives of the characters.  But what would Moses have been without prayer?  Without prayer, Elijah would have been a coward and Paul would have never penned a word of Scripture.  Even throughout the history of the church we can see many mighty leaders because they were mighty in prayer.  The saints of old and the church leaders of the past were not great because of their own intellectual brilliance, resources or assets but because, through prayer, they connected to God, who is the all-powerful, mighty force.  Prayer opens up the door to the Holy One to enter and be an influence.  Prayer is not just for church leaders but also for those in the marketplace, so that business and commerce can be directed according to God’s will.  It’s for the labourers and for the housewives who want to be in the will of God.  But it’s more than just for personal gain; it’s for bringing glory to God, putting Him as functional Lord and bringing in His Kingdom.  It’s for gaining victory over the darkness so many are set free in Christ and go on to work faithfully in His Kingdom.  Prayer is essential to being a Christian, it’s fundamental.  E.M. Bounds writes, “We can become seduced into being so busy with other things, so immersed in doing good and in carrying on the Lord’s work that we neglect prayer... we can never grow in the likeness of our Lord, Jesus Christ, unless we follow His example and give more time to communion with the Father.” 

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1. Spend some time thanking God that we can connect to His heart, will and plans through prayer.
2. Thank God for the example of Christ and many godly leaders through the ages, in the area of prayer.
3. Pray that throughout this month, as Foundations focuses on prayer, you will gain a stronger desire to pray and that God would deepen your personal prayer life. 

Foundations August 31, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Matthew 17-19

The End Times: Our Eternity in Praise

Read Psalm 150

This psalm begins in telling us to praise God in His sanctuary. The incredible thing is that one day we will actually entirely live out this picture. We will not just be praising God in a sanctuary in a church; we will be praising God in His sanctuary, in His presence, together with the Church! Heaven will be full of activity, and though it will not be limited to singing, praise and worship will be an important and anticipated activity, even for those who are not musically inclined on this earth! We will love to sing praises to our King, independent of whether or not we enjoy singing now; it will all be to His glory. As the old hymn goes, “How can I keep from singing?” This will be our response in the presence of our God.

Overview

Verse 1: Where to praise

Verse 2: What to praise

Verse 3-5: How to praise

Verse 6: Everybody praise

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   Engage your imagination and think about when we will join all the believers and worship God in His sanctuary in the New Jerusalem. Meditate on this picture.

2)   Ask the Holy Spirit if there is anything in your heart that is keeping you from worshipping Him wholeheartedly on your own time or in corporate worship (i.e. neglect, embarrassment, sin, ignorance, etc.) Ask God to expand your worship during the week. When you are participating in worship at church on the weekends, come ready to receive from and respond to God in whatever way He calls you.

3)   Ask God that you would be driven by eternity. Ask God what you have to look forward to in His kingdom and how this hope can impact your daily life. Ask Him: Lord, how do You want me to live differently in light of eternity?

Foundations August 30, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Matthew 14-16

The End Times: Executing Judgement

Read Psalm 149

This Psalm begins by describing the praise and worship of God’s people and then takes a somewhat unexpected turn in verse 6, speaking to the future when the saints of God will join Jesus on white horses as He executes judgement on the nations.

One’s first response might by, “Whoa! God, I don’t want to be a part of this!” But we read praise and joy in the act of these saintly warriors. This is not a gory and gruesome delight in murder; no! It is the joy of righteousness. Everything Jesus does is righteous and good. And it is a relief to know that He will bring justice to the millions of persecuted Christians, women and children enslaved in the sex trade, and people suffering under oppression! His justice is GOOD! Our God is a mighty Judge and as saintly warriors, we will join Him with praises on our tongues and double-edged swords of truth in our hands. This is to God’s glory, as He makes ready the coming of the city of God to earth.

Overview

Verses 1-5: Let all God’s people praise Him

Verse 6-9: God’s people join Him to execute judgement on the nations

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   As the Bride of Christ, we must seek purity and righteousness in our lives. Fighting in the Lord’s army is a particularly strange thought if we don’t love righteousness now. Ask God to reveal any sinful behaviour that you enjoy and any righteousness that you despise. Confess these to Him and ask Him to give you a heart for righteousness and goodness, a heart like His.

2)   Has a personal injustice been done to you that you would like to see avenged? (Such as unfairness at work, or a person you would like to be put in his place, etc.) Have you tried to take justice into your own hands at all? Ask God, the Judge, to stand up for you. Submit your desire for justice and submit your heart to Him. Will you trust Him to be your advocate? How will this trust be evident in your life?

3)   Is this picture of Jesus as Judge and saints with swords hard for you to swallow? If so, admit this to Him, and ask Him to give you His heart for righteousness and for the oppressed people in the world.

Foundations August 29, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Matthew 11-13

The End Times: The Lord’s Hand is Over Israel

Read Psalm 83

This psalm describes the plight of Israel since her birth: people wish to destroy her. Many have said the words of verse 4, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation, that they be remembered no more.” Through total destruction or abandonment and negligence, nations have pushed the Jews away. Satan has, for millennia, tried to abolish the Jewish people, and yet God’s hand remains firmly upon them.

The lament alludes to the Great Tribulation in the End Times. The Jews are crying out for deliverance from the ten-nation confederation that has risen up against them. Yet their prayer is a noble one: “Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O Lord.” (v 16). They pray that their enemies might know the Lord. We can expect the world to become increasingly more hostile towards the Jewish people. But we must stand firmly beside her, lifting her up in prayer, asking God to turn the hearts of His people back to Him.

Overview

Verses 1-8: Enemies of God who wish to destroy His people

Verses 9-18: Prayer they would be defeated and turn to God

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   If you have time this week, research Jewish history a little bit and notice how often the Jewish people have been neglected, massacred and pushed out. If you know any Jewish history off the top of your head (ex. the Holocaust), reflect on that. Think about how God has stood beside her all of that time, never allowing her complete destruction. What does this teach us about God?

2)   Who are the enemies in your life? Pray for the situation you are in with them, but make your ultimate prayer that they come to know the Lord. If that is difficult for you, tell God why it is so hard and ask Him to soften your heart towards your enemies.

3)   Pray for the nation of Israel as things continue to get hostile for her. Pray that God would protect the Jews and that many would turn to Him for salvation, accepting Jesus as the Son of God. Pray for wisdom for the Israeli leaders.

Foundations September 6, 2012

Foundations August 28, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Matthew 8-10

The End Times: Entrance into the Kingdom of God

Read Psalm 24

Earlier in the month, we read a very similar psalm, and yet there is still so much to be gleaned from the words! We were made to glorify God and to find fullness of joy in Him. To ignore this is to deny purpose and potential. So when we die, or Christ returns, and we join Him in His kingdom, we will finally find rest for our souls; it will be hand in perfectly fitted glove.

There is a threefold application in the song of verses 7-10. Sung by Israel, it accompanied the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant into the place of worship. But its greater application is to Jesus, Who ascended the hill of the Lord and stood in the holy place upon His resurrection. “Pull up the gates! Open the doors! The King of glory – the Risen One – has arrived! Open up you gates and doors that He may come in! The mighty One who has defeated the enemy of sin and death is here!” And this scene can, thirdly, be imagined for all saints – faithful followers – who will find eternal rest in the kingdom of God. Think about it! You will be received with much anticipation and joy in the kingdom, ushered gladly into His realm by those angels and heavenly creatures who welcomed the Son of Man.

Overview

Verses 1-2: God owns all

Verses 3-6: Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?

Verses 7-10: The entrance of the King

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   Ask God to use this psalm to increase the reality of heaven in your heart. Ask Him for an increased longing for His return.

2)   Do you truly believe that you were created to glorify God and find joy in Him? Talk to Him about this. Ask Him to give you the desire to glorify Him. Ask Him to help you understand what it actually means to glorify and find joy in Him.

3)   What does this psalm teach you about Jesus? Write it down and thank Him that He is these things. Talk to Him, asking Him to give you a personal revelation of what He wants to be for you today.

Foundations August 27, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Matthew 5-7

The End Times: Christ is coming to Judge

Read Psalm 50

This psalm speaks of the Day of Judgement, when all will be called to account before Jesus. “Our God comes and will not be silent” – God will have things to say! And for those who love righteousness, the experience will actually be joyful.

17^th C Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, said of this psalm: “All the children of men are concerned to know the right way of worshipping the Lord, in spirit and in truth. In the great day, our God shall come, and make those hear his judgement who would not hearken to his law. Happy are those who come into the covenant of grace, by faith in the Redeemer's atoning sacrifice, and show the sincerity of their love by fruits of righteousness. When God rejects the services of those who rest in outside performances, he will graciously accept those who seek him aright. It is only by sacrifice, by Christ, the great Sacrifice, from whom the sacrifices of the law derived what value they had, that we can be accepted of God. True and righteous are his judgments; even sinners' own consciences will be forced to acknowledge the righteousness of God.”

Overview

Verses 1-6: God comes to judge

Verses 7-15: God loves worship of the heart

Verses 16-22: God will judge the wicked

Verse 23: The righteous will be saved

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   Read this Psalm again and write down what it teaches you about God – who He is and what He is like. Think about these qualities. Have you experienced these characteristics of God in your life?

2)   There are two kinds of people in this psalm: the righteous and the wicked. Meditate on this, analyzing the two characters. What do you think it is that makes the difference? How do we ensure that we become one and not the other?

3)   Think about the day you will stand before God, when He will not be silent. This should give us some fear of the Lord! Get your heart right with God and with others today.

Foundations August 26, 2012

Salvation Belongs to God: Resolving to Follow God

Read Psalm 63

Like the psalmist, we must come to delight in God. He desires God, finds satisfaction in God, and depends on God. There is much benefit in dissecting scripture verse by verse, line by line. From the first line of this psalm we know that David has resolved in his heart to follow God, no matter what. “Oh God You are my God.” We are wise to make this decision in our lives and determine never to turn back on it. And because David has done this, he earnestly seeks God. It is not an option for Him to just throw his relationship with the Lord to the wayside. Because God is his God, he will pursue Him. And because he has encountered His God, David can honestly say that his soul thirsts for God, his body longs for Him.

When this is our resolve, we will grow in faith and maturity. We will not be angry at God in disappointment; rather we will run to Him. We will not be o.k. with boredom in our devotions; rather we will look for Him. We will not waste our thoughts on impure things; rather we will think on Him and His ways. His “love his better than life”! Why wouldn’t we resolve to make Him our God?!

Overview

Verses 1-5: A thirsty soul finds satisfaction in God

Verses 7-11: The Lord watches over me

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   Continue harvesting the truths of this chapter by going through it line by line, really thinking about the implication of David’s words and His resolve to follow the Lord. Let God minister to you and speak into your own life through what you read.

Foundations August 25, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Matthew 3-4

Salvation Belongs to God: Waiting for the Son

Read Psalm 130

This psalm is the cry of one who knows the forgiveness of God, for he declares that there is FULL redemption found in the Lord. What a blessing! Redemption is not partial; because of Jesus we can be fully redeemed, made sons and daughters of God! And Jesus, though unnamed, is alluded to in verse 8, as this verse is restated by the disciple in Matthew 1:21.

Because the psalmist has experienced this redemption, he is able to wait in his current time of sorrow. Watchmen watching in the night, looking for enemy attacks, long for the morning when the sun will come and bring light to their surroundings. We are able to wait in times of trouble for the Son to come and bring light into our darkness.

Overview

Verses 1-2: Cry to the Lord

Verses 3-4: Forgiveness from the Lord

Verses 5-6: Wait for the Lord

Verses 7-8: Hope in the Lord

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   So many things in our lives come back to the question: Do I trust God? Spend your devotional time today meditating and praying about trust. Here are some questions you might consider;

a.  In what areas do you need to trust God more? What would that look like?

b.  What’s keeping you from trusting God?

c.  Is there anything you need to lay down in order to trust Him?

d.  Do you believe any lies that are keeping you from knowing God’s truth and being able to trust Him?

e.  How does this passage speak to you about trust?

Foundations August 24, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Matthew 1-2

Salvation Belongs to God: Salvation in Loneliness

Read Psalm 3

This psalm carries a lonely tone, and indeed David was at a low spot when he composed it. He was on the run from his own son who had killed his other son and was now trying to take over his kingdom. Imagine the hurt, betrayal and loneliness David must have felt. But, as was his instinct, David turned to the Lord.

Many of us can relate to the pitiful cycle David describes in verse 5, where sleeping seems to be the only time when rest is found, and we wake up in the morning looking forward to going back to bed at night. Like David, we must look to the Lord for sustenance in times of loneliness and fear. We can pray, in faith, that God will deliver us because we know from Scripture that He is a Deliver by nature, so we need not doubt Him. However long deliverance takes will be another test of trust, as there is much to be learned while we wait for our salvation.

Overview

Verses 1-2: I have many enemies

Verses 3-6: The Lord hears and sustains me

Verses 7-8: The Lord will deliver me

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   How do you need to experience God’s sustenance? Or how is God currently sustaining you in weakness?

2)   Ask God to reveal to you if there is something about His nature that you don’t believe to be true in your heart (for example, you don’t truly believe He is a deliverer, or merciful, etc.). Why is it difficult for you to accept this quality of His? Confess your unbelief, and meditate on this characteristic and ask Him to reveal how He has already shown Himself to you in this way before.

3)   Ask God what He might be trying to teach you in a trial you are going through. Thank Him for using it for His good.

Foundations August 23, 2012

Prophet’s Reading Plan: Micah 3-7

Salvation Belongs to God: God Can Move Mountains

Read Psalm 114

This psalm reminds us that there is nothing our God cannot do. Because He loved Israel, He made His dwelling in her midst and carried her through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. He displayed His might in her deliverance and her entrance 40 years later, parting first the waters of the Red Sea and later the Jordan River. The earth trembles at the presence of the Lord who can do these mighty acts.

This almighty God has chosen to dwell among us, in our own hearts, and through Jesus we have been given access into the holy throne room of God!

Overview

Verses 1-2: God dwells with Israel

Verses 3-6: The parting of the waters

Verses 7-8: Tremble at the presence of the Lord

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   Just as Judah was God’s sanctuary, your heart is His sanctuary. Think about this. Is there anything in your heart that might make it an embarrassing sanctuary? Confess it to God and ask Him to transform your heart into a place of beauty.

2)   When have you experienced God move powerfully? What was your response?

3)   What kind of mountains loom in your life – situations that seem impossible? Commit these to God. Ask Him to be your salvation and to move these mountains. Ask Him to speak to you about what He wants to do in these situations.

Foundations August 22, 2012

Prophet’s Reading Plan: Micah 1-2

The Redeemer: We Will Be Resurrected!

Read Psalm 16

There are so many beautiful lines in this psalm, making the reader feel secure in the choice to follow the Lord. Both Peter and Paul reference this Psalm, indicating to us that it clearly speaks of Jesus. Some believe the entire psalm is a prophetic prayer of Jesus, though as usual, it can have a twofold meaning, also serving as a worship song for Israel.

Through the experience of the psalmist, the reader is encouraged to find full contentment in God no matter what happens. Continually we should seek God for our delight and pleasure, remembering that we have no good apart from Him. Whether in plenty or in want, we can trust that He knows our lot and will give us counsel. And if these spiritual blessings that we can experience NOW on earth are not enough, we are also given a fantastic truth, made abundantly clear by the resurrection of Christ, that we will not remain in the grave; God will not allow His people to rot there forever. Like Jesus, all servants of God will rise again in glory and will find fullness of joy and eternal pleasure with God forevermore!

Overview

Verses 1-2: Refuge in the Lord

Verses 3-4: Delight found in the godly, not the wicked

Verses 5-6: Contentment in my portion

Verses 7-8: The Lord counsels me

Verses 9-11: My heart rejoices in my future hope in God’s presence

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   Focus your heart and mind on the words of the psalm as you read it again. What do you notice about the psalmist’s relationship with the
Lord? (His attitude, his perception of who God is, etc.) What can you take out of this from your own life?

2)   Verse 1 indicates that the psalmist is experiencing some trouble, yet he is able to declare the words of verses 5 & 6. He is able to be thankful in every situation, surrendering his “cup” to the Lord in any situation, because of the promise in verse 8-11. Meditate on this principle and the verses and apply them to your own life and struggles.

Foundations August 21, 2012

Prophet’s Reading Plan: Jonah

The Redeemer: Jesus our Beautiful King

Read Psalm 45

The Jesus of Revelation can easily be seen in this song to the king of Israel. Jesus will rule the earth with a scepter of justice. Just as verse 4 describes a king on a horse representing truth, humility and righteousness, Revelation 19 paints Jesus the Rider on a white horse whose name is Faithful and Truth and is called the King of kings. C. S. Lewis suggested that before Jesus came, this psalm was a literal song to the king of Judah, but after Jesus, it took on a whole new meaning. This again highlights God’s incomparable wisdom!

And with this second and crucial meaning, we find that we, the church, are the bride! We are the glorious princess who enthralls the king with our beauty! This is essentially a long song written to us by our glorious King!

Overview

Verse 1: A song for the king

Verses 2-9: The beauty, righteousness and justice of the king

Verses 10-15: The bride

Verses 16-17: Your name will be remembered

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   When you chose to follow the Lord, you became His bride. God is overjoyed that you belong to Him! Spend your devotional time today seeking a revelation of God’s love for you, whatever it may look like. You may ask Him questions, search the Scriptures or just wait silently before Him.

Foundations August 20, 2012

Prophet’s Reading Plan: Obadiah

The Redeemer: Jesus in Our Sorrow

Read Psalm 69

When writing about the 69^th Psalm, Charles Spurgeon said that we begin our study of it “with much trembling, for we feel that we are entering with our Great High Priest into the most holy place.”

Little did David know when composing this song that some of what he was saying was about the One who would one day be called the Son of David! (See vv 4, 9, 21.) Here David is crying out to God for salvation, and in his very words of sorrow, he prophesies of the One who will bring eternal salvation to him and all people. David is unknowingly sharing a profound truth with the Christian, that Jesus is present in our suffering. He, too, cried out to God for help; He, likewise, was hated without cause; He, also, was rejected by some family members (v 8). Jesus shares in our suffering; in truth, we share in His sufferings when we go through trouble and yet remain steadfast, trusting Him.

Overview

Verses 1-12: David’s plight

Verses 13-29: David’s prayer

Verses 30-36: David’s praise

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   Verse 21 is a tiny detail of the crucifixion, and something Jesus would have had no human control over as He hung on the cross. This is clearly God pointing us to the undeniable truth that Jesus is Lord. Thank God for His plan to save us from the very beginning. Thank Him for His intellect, and His love – for giving us prophecy in the Bible!

2)   Verses 1 & 2 paint a bleak picture of one drowning in murky water, trying to grasp a foothold but finding none. Have you ever felt this way? Do you feel this way? Pray and ask God for help. Ask Him to give you a foothold and to give you a new song while you wait on Him.

3)   Study verses 30-36 and notice how David praises God. What does he praise Him for? How does he express praise? He is able to praise God even before he is rescued out of his trouble!

Foundations August 19, 2012

Members of a Covenant: A Future of Growth

Read Psalm 92

This song was written to be sung on the Sabbath, the day of rest. The psalmist proclaims how good it is to praise the Lord, to praise Him from morning till night. He declares that though the wicked my look prosperous in this lifetime, their destination is one of eternal destruction. But that is not the case for the righteous ones. A beautiful promise is proclaimed for the righteous in the final four verses. Those who follow the Lord will continue to grow, both now, and especially in God’s eternal kingdom. There we will be transplanted in His holy habitation, free from all sin, and we will continue to grow. This is a spectacular truth! We will not just arrive in God’s kingdom and suddenly know all there is to know; that would be boring! We will continue to grow and learn forever and ever and ever! Amen!

Overview

Verses 1-5: It is good to praise the Lord

Verses 6-11: The wicked will be forever destroyed

Verses 12-15: The godly will flourish in the courts of God

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   What is an area of your character that needs some maturing? How do you feel towards this area? Ask God to keep working on you; invite Him to work on you today and ask Him for any steps of action He’d like for you to take.

2)   We will not be fully transplanted into the courts of God until Jesus returns, but we can plant ourselves in His kingdom courts to a degree. Think and pray about this: how can you be planted deeper into God’s courts today.
3)   Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you are bearing fruit right now. Verse 14 says, “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.” Pray for your future. Ask God that you would continue to bear fruit even as you get older.

Foundations August 18, 2012

Prophet’s Reading Plan: Amos 8-9

Members of a Covenant: Prayer for the Increase of God’s Kingdom

Read Psalm 67

As a people who love the Lord and His ways, we should desire that ALL people would come to love Him and His ways too. God is not limited to one culture or race or age bracket or gender or personality type. He is the Creator of each individual and the King of the universe. The psalmist prayed that God would bless Israel so that God’s ways would be known to all the nations. We so often want God’s blessing for our own personal gain. We want financial blessing so life would be easier or more luxurious. We want friendship blessing so that we wouldn’t be lonely or bored. We want health blessing so that we can feel good. This song puts our motives to shame! We must desire blessing first and foremost that God would be glorified. If this is our focus, then even a loss of income or waning health can be a form of blessing! How great is our God that He can take what is terrible and use it for what is wonderful!

Let us become outward now, wishing well upon others, rejoicing in their successes and praying that they would know God more.

Overview

Verses 1-3: A request that the people would be blessed so all nations may know God

Verses 4-5: A description of the nations praising the Lord

Verses 6-7: Confidence that the request will be granted

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1)   Ask God for 3 names (max) of people you know that He would like you to pray a spiritual blessing for. Ask for at least one person whom you find it very difficult to genuinely care about.

2)   Prayer for Canada – Spend some time interceding on behalf of our own country, that we would repent and turn back to God, bringing glory to His name

3)   Prayer for Israel – Pray for the Jewish people that they would see Jesus as their Messiah and be a testament to all nations.

4)   Prayer for other nations (Islamic, Atheist, Communist) – Pray that God’s name would be glorified through evangelism to these nations that are anti- the God of the bible.